The Fries
by Earthboy111
Summary: Just a one shot about just why those fries were so damn important to Marcy


Marceline trudged through the wreckage of yet another city. It wasn't much different than those she'd seen in the last few hundred years. A gang here and there, some folks trying to rebuild, and some of the weird mutations that had begun to spring up. It was as common to see a living parking meter, or talking rat as it was to see a human. A few decades ago those would have been something but these days she sent almost everything fleeing with a hiss and a baring of her fangs.

"_Come one, come all, Simple Simon your friendly neighborhood Iceman's got whatever you might need, fresh and cool._"

Marceline started at the voice, and with some effort lifted from the ground, not quite used to the new power she'd recently developed. Hovering did afford her better speed and in a few moments she found herself at it's source. It was him, his beard had grown out, his clothes were filthy, and he'd taken to wearing that old crown of his but she knew it was him. He called again looking up at the crumbling buildings expectantly, as if he'd forgotten any occupants had long since died out.

"_Simon_?!" She called out extending a hand as she landed. The old blue faced man turned to her eyes hazy with confusion.

"_Do I. . .know you? I mean you look familiar."_ Her face fell and she felt tears welling up in her eyes as she ran up and wrapped her arms around him. "_It's. . ."_ She was about to say when he cut her off. "_Marceline!"_ His arms closing around her tightly. He was colder than he had been before. "_I haven't seen you in what's it been, two? three weeks?"_ He asked pulling back and looking at her the way he had when he was sad but didn't realize it.

"_It's been four hundred years Simon. You told me you needed to go find something, put that stupid crown on, walked away and never came back._" He seemed confused, shaking his head a little. "_I remember, walking into a cave, went looking for. . .I unno I'll think of it. In the mean time you wanna buy something I've got a lot of neat stuff, I keep it fresh with my ice bizz."_

She'd seen him use his ice powers before, he'd donned the crown in the past to fend off attackers or to make them shelters that were surprisingly warm.

"_Uhm sure I guess."_ At that he dumped the contents of his musty old backpack onto the ground. Inside were odd bits of worthless junk, randomly collect things from old pieces of paper to car parts, and bits of food trapped in cubes of ice. She idly picked up a piece of blue cloth as he looked on expectantly. "_I, uhm I don't have any money so. . ." _She moved to set the cloth down, but he broke in.

"_A trade then, you. . ."_ He seemed to concentrate intently as he scratched various spots through his tattered suit. ". . ._you can sew right, you used to fix up that doll all the time and I could use some new clothes, so you make me something snazzy with that fabric there and you can pick anything you want from my stuff."_ There was need in his eyes, something more than simply wanting to unload his trash, and despite four centuries of anger, she couldn't help but be glad to see him, even if he had gone a bit nuts. With a nod she sat and took her make shift sewing kit from the bag she carried. There wasn't enough fabric to make him a new suit, so she set to work making a simple robe that would fit over his head. As she worked he busied himself rummaging through debris, picking seemingly useless things out and setting them amongst his treasures.

When he finished the pile was twice as big as it had been when she began. "_All done."_ She called, and he came running over. "_Ohhh lemme see. What is it?"_ He asked holding the robe up squinting. "_It goes over your head."_ She said flatly. He nodded his head in understanding and handed his crown over to her. Ducking behind the wall of a half destroyed diner he changed and emerged in his new robe. "_I am diggin' this thing, it's so light and breezy."_ He said waving the hem, and Marceline couldn't help but giggle as he did a little jig with his blue legs exposed. "_So you decide on whatchya takin?" _ He asked taking the crown back, and adjusting it on his balding head. She'd forgotten it was suppose to be a trade and just grabbed at one of the cubes of ice. "_Good choice, got those from an old burger place."_ He beamed and waved his hand causing the ice to melt away from the small carton of french fries.

Looking down at the small box she raised an eyebrow, then lifted her gaze back up to Simon's proud face, and she knew then she would have to eat them. "_I'll go. . .get some ketchup."_ She said heading towards the diner Simon had changed in. He nodded his head and began putting his things away. She searched in vein for a ketchup packet or two, or really anything red to make the fried edible for her. After a few minutes she gave up the search and turned to return outside, noticing Simon's old clothes on the ground. Sticking out of one of the pockets was a note, her name scrawled on the outside. Setting the fries down she took the note and unfolded it.

"Marceline, I'm afraid I'm losing this fight

Though I've tried for you with all my might

You need someone to watch over you

Soon I fear I just won't do.

I remembered a story

About a demon and his lovely wife

Who together made immortal life

I left you to search out a way

To bring you someone who can stay."

Reading on she found a short list of instructions and an incantation on the page. A trip to the diner's kitchen found her a carton of spoiled bug milk, and with a piece of charred wood she drew a face on the ground. "MALOSO VOBISCUM ET CUM SPIRITUM," she said hurriedly, half expecting nothing to happen. Suddenly a rift tore in the floor of the old restaurant and a man in a suit stepped out, a man she only vaguely recognized from young childhood memories. "_Daddy?"_ She asked experimentally. He smiled and wrapped his arms around her. "_Marceline, I can't believe how big you've gotten."_ She cried into his jacket for a long while knowing she wouldn't have to be alone anymore.

She realized that spell was what Simon had been searching for, he knew his mind was going and she needed someone to help her. All those years of anger seemed so foolish, of course Simon wouldn't have just abandoned her. "_I'll be right back dad."_ She said reluctantly pulling from his embrace, and raced outside to thank Simon. When she got out there however he was gone. His nicknacks had all been packed away and there was no sign of him anywhere on the broken road. In the last place she'd seen him stood a bottle of ketchup. Smiling she picked it up, promising herself to save those fries until she found him again.


End file.
